The night passed in fire and mayhem. The south-wall breached, the chain-boom drowned, Corsair ships docked within the city, spilled men forth to take Pelargir row by hard-fought row.

For the city's defenders retreated from barricade to barricade, paid high to make their enemy pay to measure: Pelargir's lord and heir were slain. Many went missing: Chodakh, between the first and second barricade; Varendur fell behind, wounded, and was lost. None had seen Chadhi or Menarion since the wall had been breached.

Yet the night held other perils: ere dawn came Corsairs driven east, bringing word: the Dead have risen...